Improved washing-machine



N PETERS, PMTOJJTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON.

einem` smi.'

nient H E NRY e WAT uns, o FQAT L A N '1 A.QGE OR G1 A- f tems Putative. odoonizmdmay 11,1869. l i

" nvrrnovnn WAsHrNc-i-MAHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters` Patent making part `of the same.

l To all ywhom it'may concern: l l

'Be it known `that l, HEN RY H. WATERS,- of Atlanta,

"in the county of Fulton, and State of Georgia, havein f vented certain new and. useful `Improvements in Washing-Machines and I do hereby declare that the fol- :flowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings ci the same, which make part of this specification, and

` in which- ,i

Figure 1 represents a vertical section oi'- a machine i embracing my improvements.`

`Figure 2 represents a "inilar section,showing the oscillating presser elevated and seated upon the tub.

Figure 3 represents a vertical section, taken at the Figure 4 represents a top view o r^ 'the tub, showing if the oscillating `presser therein.

Washing-machines, heretofore constructed, have `been devsedand planned so as to operate to wash andv cleanse theclothes by friction, und'er continuous rubffbingp This process, while it will wash clean, will also wear the clothes, 'break o .or fracture the buttons, 'and j in various waysinjurethe clothes. Neither can garments-of iine and delicate texture be Washed by this l process, withoutbeingalmostdestroyedL Indeed, washthe clothes, but fine? and delicate garments and articles mental presser.

` presser.

. maybe washed as tenderly, and cleansed as perfectly,

e as though they were washed by hand. `In `'the accompanyin g drawings- A represents the tub, inwhich the clothes to be washed are placed. It is in foi-m aperfect square, and is of sufficient depth to receive the oscillating seg- 'Iheinside bottom of this tub is yprovided with sufticient layers of coarse cotton B, which forms a .slightly yielding or soft surface, thus preventing the buttons on the clothes from being broken under the weight of the The presser is `which the hinge-joint, by which its upper end isoscile lated, `is the centre, and consists of a series of parallel bars, or ribs, a, placed at suitable distances apart, and l secured to a skeleton segmental lframe, C, having a central vertical board, c, the upper end of which extends above the tub, andis hinged to a horizontal tray,

` The dimensions of this oscillating segmental Vpresser are slightly less than the area of the tub, soas to allow 'said' presser tooscillate freely therein, without having any rubbing or abrading-motion in any direction, the sides of the box serving to keep and confine the rocker in form the l'segment of` aV `circle,r xi`I to its treading-motion, and preventing' it from sliding or moving from its seat to rub the clothes.

The skeleton presser-frame is hinged at its 'upper end atb, to the under side of the horizontal tray, or box D, to the rear side of which the connecting-rod lil is secured by a hinge-joint, rl.

This box is for the purpose of receiving Weights, so

as to' increase the pressure of the rocker when heavy or coarse`clothing is to be washed.

By this arrangement, it will be seen that the square tub confines the acting-surface of the segmental presser,

l as it were, in a ixed position, While .its upper portion has no fixed axis or pivot, but vmoves freely back and forth, without having any tendency whatever to impart a rubbing-action vto the presser. The connectingrod is united eccentrically to a balance, or fly-Wheel, F, by means of a wrist-pin secured in a slot, or any one of a series of holes in one of the arms of said Wheel, or in the end of the connectingrod, for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the oscillation of the segmental presser within the tub.

The balance, or ily-Wheel is mounted upon the end of a shaft, G,- s'upported in a vertical frame, H, and operated by'acrank, I, which, together `with the tub,l

, may-be placed upon a platform, J. l

In order to remove the segmental-presser from th tub, to change the position of the latter, or whenthe clothes are suiiicieutly washed, it is elevated by a cord, K, and windlass, L, the latter being supported in the vertical frame H, saidcord passing over pulleys M in the ends of an oblique beam, N, on the top of said vertical frame, and hooked into an eye, e, secured to the box D of the segmental presser.

. When the presser is elevated so as'to clear the tub,

. theV balance-wheel F is turned so as to bring Ythe stroke of the connecting-rodE at its rear extreme movement, v

and the balance-Wheel is locked tof the vertical frame H by a pin, f, passing through it, and into said wheel, so that the presser-is drawn rearward against the frame H, for the purpose of leaving the front portion of the tub unobstructed, to allow 'ireeaccess to theclothes within the tub,for the purpose of manipulating or removing them, as may be desired. i

.lVhen the segmental presser C is raised above the tub A, the Wndlass-cord K is relaxed, to allow the presser to be drawn by the balancewheel andconneeting-rod E, over against the frame H, and to be seated i i upon therear side of the tub, as shown in g. 2 of the drawings.

In this positionA the presser is supported upon the l tub, and is locked by the conpectingrodE, so that the side of the tray D and the lower side of the presser C will rest against the vertical frame H, entirely out of the way, and so as to prevent its Weight from turn-: ing the tub over at that side.

When the presser is to be again placed Within the"l tub,- the balance-w heel is unlocked by withdrawing the pin f, so that the connecting-rod E forces said presser over to the front, at the same time the windlass L, which is fitted with crank and ratchet-pawl, is turned to suspend and lower the presser directly into the tub. A d eep tub would not admit of facility in thc removal of the presser and clothes therefrom, and a shallow tub would allow the suds to splash out. To prevent this, I arrange a removable hood or cover, P, so as to fit upon the top of the tub, and having all or two of its sides, ,inclining inward from the top of the tub, so as to form a section ofa hollow cone, that will, when seated uponthe tub, partially close it, the open'- iug in the top of the hood being only sufficient to allow the upper portion of the presser to oscillate therein. The hood P is held in its seat by fitting into grooves in the top of the tub, and it is removed therefrom by the removal of the presser, the radial sides Qi of which catch against the inclined sides of the hood, and thus lift it as the presser is being raised, and carry it olf to the side, the opening in the top of the hoodl being less than the width of the presser, so that the hood cannot fall off, hut will be sustained upon the sides of the presser, in the proper position to be again seated when the presser is lowered into the tub.

The object of makingthe tub square is tlv'oibld: first, to hold the presser, and prevent it from having any sliding or rubbing-movement; and secondly, to allow it to be turnedninety degrees upon its seat, to subject the clothes to the action of the segmental presser, at right angles to its former position', so that said action of the presser-bars or ribs will be uniform upon every portion of the clothes.

This change in the position of the tub is effected when the presser is suspended clear of the tub by means of a foot-lever, R, pivoted beneath the platform,.at g, and having, at its inner end, a cylindrical swivelling support, S, projecting, through an opening, h, in the platform, and fitting 4i'nto a seat or concavity, ,lireetly in the centre ofthe bottom of the tub.

The other end of the level' extends outward, in a position to be depressed by the foot, which action will raise the inner end, and lift and support the tub, upon the centre-pin S, clear of the platform, and beneath the presser, so that the tub maybe swivelled upon said centre a quarter of a circle. i

The cross-action upon the clothes by a rockingpresser, I have found to greatly assist in thoroughly cleansing the garments.

-Tlie tub, when turned, is held in its position by pins, j, on the platform, fitting into corresponding holes j',

y in the bottom of' the tub, so as to lock the latter when adjusted.

vThe tray or box D may be covered, to confine the weights therein, when necessary.

The tub is provided with a wringer, consisting of two rollers, T U, secured, in arms, at the front side of the tub, the upper roller, T, being movable, and held down upon the lower fixed one by India-rubber bauds,

lr, which act with suficient force to press and squeeze the water out of the clothes as they are drawn between the rollers.

The segmental presser may be made of cast-iron, to obtain the necessary weight, and coated with tin or zinc,l to prevent oxidization, and the consequent staining ofthe clothes.

The tub is .provided with a hole, from which the plug or stopper may be, drawn to let off the suds.

The effect ofthe oscillating presser upon the clothes, is to force the suds through them by a quick pressingmovement, as it oscillates, tiist, from one side of the tub, and then to the other, through the clothes, and

between the threads and fibres, carrying out the dirt, oke., by operating to expand and compress the clothes under such a degree of pressure that cannot fail to cleanse without rubbing or friction.-

The tub may be removed from and returned to its position, under the presser, by means of a fixed eogged rack', secured to the platform, and a pinion on the under side of the tub, matching into said rack, and operated by a crank, for the purpose of introducing,

removing, or manipulating the clothes within the tub` in which case the presser must be suspended above the tub, by the cord and windlass.

The connecting-rod E may be united to the box or tray l), by a rigid instead of a flexible joint, should' it be deemed necessary.

Having thus described my improvement-s,

I claiml. The segmental presser, arranged and united to the connecting-rod E, and the balance-wheel F, by means of the hinged tray D, in such m'anner, that said presser may be supported and pivoted upon the tub when elevated therefrom, substantially as described.

2. The squarertub A, in connection with an oscillating presser, arranged as described, to allow the tub to he turned, so as to present the clothes to the presser at right angles to its fbrm'erline of action, as described.

3. The foot-lever R, and centre pivot or support S, in combination with a square tub, for the purpose of lifting the latter, to enable it to be swivelled or turned ninety degrees, for tliepurpose described.

4. The Aremovable hood or cover P, when used in connection with a segmental presser, a square tub, and

' a wringer, in the mannerand for the purpose described.

5. The removable hood or cover of the tub, in combination with the oscillating presser, by which it is removed and replaced upon its seat automatically, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. HENRY H. WATERS: Witnesses:

S. S. N ALL, FRANK- MILLS. 

